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Minnesota Job Partners
August
2009 Assisting in career transition
612-676-3710 www.jobpartners.org
Dealing for Dollars: Negotiating salary
Let’s pretend the hiring manager wraps up your next interview by saying “We’d like to offer you the job. The
salary starts at $32,000.”
And you say:
A. “$32,000? You’ve got to be kidding. It’s going to
take a lot more than that to get me in the door.”
B. “Really? I got the job? Wow! That’s great! When do I
start?
C. “Well, I’d certainly like to take the position. But
before I say yes, let me talk it over with my spouse.
I’ll need more information about the benefits, and
the employee handbook to look over. Let’s talk on
Tuesday. I can come by at 10.”
Although individual phrasing may differ, the most common
answer job seekers give is some version of B. After a long
job search, most people just want to work again.
It may surprise you, however, to learn that B is the worst answer, at least in terms of salary negotiation. The
first answer is boorish, but at least this job seeker is discriminating. Meanwhile, the second job seeker is about
to get locked into the lowest salary the employer planned to offer.
While the last answer is the best, job seekers often fear the job offer will go to the next candidate if they
negotiate the salary. They may also dislike the process of bargaining for more money.
Here are some things to consider. First, the job is almost certainly not going to disappear if you ask for time to
consider the offer. In fact, the break is essential to your negotiating strategy. Most people simply aren’t snappy
enough to counter-offer on the spot.
If you think the reason for the delay sounds phony, you can say you’re weighing other offers, or that you need
time to think. The main idea is to slow down the process a bit, to let you review the offer and decide how to
negotiate the salary you want.
As for not wanting to bargain: Well, okay, take the first offer if you want to. But at least try to negotiate some
little thing. More vacation? An earlier review? A set of tools or a parking spot? Surely there’s something worth
asking for.
The worst that can happen is the employer will say no. But it’s quite unlikely the offer itself will be rescinded.
That’s because the employer has already made an investment in you by checking your references, talking to
other managers in the company, and choosing you over all the other candidates.
By Amy Lindgren, St. Paul, Minnesota, nationally syndicated Working Strategies columnist
Five Steps to Negotiate Your Salary
1. Research Your Market. Learn what other employers pay and require for this position. If you bring an extra
skill to the job, be sure to mention it.
2. Know your priorities. If money is the most important thing to you right now, push for a higher salary. If you
have young kids, flexible hours might matter most.
3. Choose your timing. Avoid discussions about salary until you’ve been offered the job. That’s when you have
the most negotiating power because they’ve already decided they want you more than the other candidates.
4. Seek a win-win solution. Don’t try to “win” just for the sake of winning. Remember, this is your future boss!
Instead, look for ways to trade benefits you don’t care about for the ones you want.
5. Put it in writing. If no formal agreement is given to you, prepare a simple letter of understanding outlining
the terms.
Tips for negotiating salary
~Set a serious but friendly tone
~When in doubt about what to say, try silence
~If your intuition triggers uneasiness, stop
~Remember: An offer will almost always go up, but only if you ask
Reprinted with permission from Career Success Calendar, published by Prototype Career Media, St. Paul, Minnesota
What’s negotiable? Everything!
A short list of things you can ask for in a new job Putting the Offer in Writing
A sample letter to confirm the job offer
Money: Salary, commission, reimbursements, stock, clothing
allowance, pension, mileage, performance incentives, profit-
sharing, hiring bonus, cost-of-living raises, expense account Bill Jackson
Jackson Plumbing Equipment
Benefits: Vacation, life / health / disability insurance, dental 232 Main Street
care, eye care Milton, MN 55555
Relocation: House-hunting trips, mortgage differential, Dear Mr. Jackson,
storage, home buyout, apartment rental, spouse job-hunting
assistance, school-hunting help for the kids Thank you so much for the employment offer. I am
very excited to join your company as an account
Schedule: Flex-time, telecommuting, sabbaticals manager, beginning on August 17.
Training: Conferences, tuition reimbursement, seminars, in- As I understand, the position will pay $18 an hour
house training, on-the-job training, software training initially, with a 30% commission on the net value of
Professional Advancement: Membership in professional each invoice I facilitate. New accounts that I sign will
associations, magazine subscriptions, testing fees, each bring a one-time bonus of $100.
professional insurance, license fees We also agreed on 2 weeks of vacation to start, with an
Equipment: Laptop computer, online service, personal fax, additional 5 personal / sick days, as well as enrollment
cell phone, specialized software, tools in the company health care plan for myself and my
spouse and a 50% tuition reimbursement on sales
Family: Child care, parent care, summer internships for kids, classes I take.
access to company-sponsored scholarships for kids
I am very excited about this opportunity, and eager to
Remember: The tighter the economy, the more creative you start. I’ll see you on the 17th!
need to be in your negotiating.
Sandy Jones
Reprinted with permission from Curriculum Originals, published by Prototype Career Media, St. Paul, Minnesota